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New Orleans Saints receiver Joe Morgan ready for an increased role

saints bucs_2814.jpg

New Orleans Saints wide receiver Joe Morgan (13) signals first down in the third quarter against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at the Superdome in New Orleans, Sunday December 16, 2012.
(David Grunfeld, NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune)

"I haven't kept up much with the
roster, but I have checked in on Devery because he is one of the guys I have
looked up to since I was a kid," Morgan said. "He helped me out a lot my first
two years. I was trying to see what the situation was going to be with that. As
of now, he hasn't been brought back in."

As of now, Morgan appears to be poised
to step into Henderson's role as the Saints' primary deep threat and a reliable
downfield blocker in the running game.

With the Saints set to begin voluntary
offseason workouts next week at their Metairie training facility, Morgan, a
former undrafted free agent, said he's looking forward to the opportunity for
an increased role in the offense.

Unless Henderson, a nine-year veteran,
is re-signed by then, Morgan will begin workouts behind only Marques Colston
and Lance Moore on the depth chart and ahead of Courtney Roby, Nick Toon and
Andy Tanner.

"I'm really excited. But the way I'm
going into it it's like I still haven't done anything," Morgan said. "I have to
keep that chip on my shoulder so I don't get complacent and think I've done
something when in reality I still have a long ways to go. But I am excited. The
opportunity is out there, I just have to seize it."

So far, the 6-foot-1, 185-pound Morgan
has shown the ability to take advantage of the opportunities he has had.

After signing with the Saints as an
undrafted rookie in 2011, Morgan was one the stars of training camp.

He wowed fans and the Saints coaching
staff with his big-play ability. In the first two preseasons games in 2011, he caught two passes
for 77 yards, including a 56-yard touchdown catch. He also returned six punts
for 107 yards, with one of those returns going for a 76-yard touchdown.

It seemed Morgan was on his way to
beating the odds, but he suffered a meniscus injury and was placed on injured
reserve before he could make the roster.

Morgan was banged up in last year's
preseason, too, but it wasn't enough to keep him from making the team.

He went on to make his share of big
plays. And as the 2012 season went on, Saints quarterback Drew Brees raved
about the strides Morgan was making.

Morgan finished the season with 10
catches for 379 and three touchdowns and an astounding 37.9 yards per catch
average, more than 20 yards better than the
second best average on the team, Moore's 16.0.

But with his role set to increase,
Morgan will have to evolve into more than simply a one-dimensional, deep-threat
receiver.

Morgan said he knows this.

That's why after taking about two
months off following the season, Morgan returned to training and working to
become a more complete receiver.

He said he has even taken some notes
from Moore to help in running more precise routes.

"It's probably going to be the
intermediate and short routes," Morgan said when asked what area he needs to
work on most as he enters year three. "I've gotten a lot better at those
working with Lance. He's one of the best route runners in the league, so just
transferring that into practice and the games."

If the speedy Morgan can indeed
improve his intermediate routes, he could emerge as a critical cog in a Saints
passing offense that already includes play-makers in tight end Jimmy Graham,
running back Darren Sproles and receivers Colston and Moore.

He's already shown that he has
big-time play-making skills. His three touchdowns last season covered 80, 48
and 34 yards.

The most impressive, though, was the
48-yarder against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in which Morgan had to spin
out of a tackle attempt by safety Mark Barron, while keeping his balance and
flipping cornerback Eric Wright over his head as he lifted away from the
ground.

The play made several lists of top plays in the NFL.

It also made Morgan even more popular in his hometown of
Canton, Ohio.

"Since I've been home, I've talked to so many people I never knew," Morgan
said. "Canton is not that big, but a few people I've never seen have come up to
me and said 'Are you Joe Morgan?' Sometimes when I go to the gym there will be
kids there playing and they'll pull me over to the side and be so amazed.

"I'm not one of those guys who wants
to be in the limelight. But it feels good to be recognized."